1. Field of the Present Disclosure
This invention relates generally to hot air blowers and lamps and more particularly to a combination heated air blower and lamp combination particularly adapted for use in changing a baby's diaper.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Lee et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,940,980 discloses a hands-free hair dryer which includes a hair dryer body including heating element and fan, an elongated bendable tubing connected at one end to the hair dryer body, and preferably a spring clamp secured to the other end of the tubing. The tubing is capable of being bent to any desired position or angle where it remains until it is re-positioned. The spring clamp can be attached to any desired surface or support such as a counter, door, towel rack, cupboard, etc. The device allows very convenient hands-free use of the dryer for a variety of purposes.
Becker Andrea Beate, DE19755084, discloses a skin dryer having a casing accommodating a fan, a heating element and an electric drive. A rechargeable battery is positioned inside the handle. The dryer is operated with a low voltage and the released air is of a temperature convenient for the baby's skin. The heater, the fan and an integrated lamp are operated by three individual control buttons. There is also a version available which can be connected to the cigarette lighter in a car.
Fielden et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,710, describes an item holding device, having a multi-segmented arm wherein each segment connected to each adjacent segment by a swivel joint having a substantial fictional resistance to motion, wherein a first quick release clamp is provided on one end of the arm, wherein a second such clamp or the base of an item is provided on the other end of the arm, and wherein the first clamp is adapted for gripping an action-site member whereby an item can be held in a desired position at the action-site.
Simons, U.S. Pat. No. 1,786,459, discloses a bottle holder comprising a base, an arm attached thereto and a bottle holding means on said arm, said base being of a size and weight sufficient to maintain said holder in an upright position when said base is resting on a supporting surface, and having a clamping member attached thereto whereby said holder may be clamped to a support.
Crowley et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,358, discloses a non-resettable water actuated circuit interrupting means for use with a portable electric appliance such as a hair dryer to provide protection for the user against injury in the event that the appliance is accidentally dropped in water or otherwise develops leakage current. Both sides of the line are fused and circuit means are provided which respond to leakage current in the appliance to provide separate circuits to blow out each of the fuses.
Ambosiano, U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,974, discloses a clothes and linen-warming or dehumidification apparatus includes resistive means for producing heat by the Joule effect and an electrically insulating and thermally-conducting container containing the resistive means including at least one layer of resistive material arranged in track form, with the at least one layer of resistive material having a non-homogeneous distribution such that it produces less heat in a central region of the apparatus
Cook, U.S. Pat. No. 2,150,542, discloses a flood light support mounting held by a spring clip to a wall fixture base and an outwardly extending finger arranged to enable the user to removably mount an item at an elevated position within a room by merely attaching the spring clip to the wall-mounted finger.
Prohaczka et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,909,316, discloses a lamp that directs illumination primarily downwardly and perpendicular to the flow of air generated by a fan. This arrangement directs most of the light in a different direction than the air, thus primarily illuminating the area below the apparatus.
The prior art teaches hot air blowers, lamps, and combinations thereof. However, the prior art does not teach a hot air blower that is mounted on a flexible stand so that it may be set to direct hot air at a baby on the same surface as the apparatus and which produces a downwardly directed lamp illumination that is positioned on the device so as to be shadowed by the device from the eyes of a baby laying in the path of the hot air. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described below.